


ferrum

by yucc



Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Canon Era, Closure, M/M, Missing Scene, Tragedy, Vignette, eventual lulaw, lots of happy moments from both pairs as well actually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-09
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-20 05:50:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14888831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yucc/pseuds/yucc
Summary: Really, it's not a big deal.To see Trafalgar lying beneath him, with an almost tender look on his golden eyes and the ghost of a smile present on his face. To see Law saving Luffy who ultimately saves him back with his fists and smiles.It really is not.(or: This is the story of how Eustass Kid starts everything on his own, how he falls for Trafalgar Law, how he learns to let everything go, and how he finds that life, it turns out, is not as lonely as he thinks.)





	ferrum

**Author's Note:**

  * For [januari](https://archiveofourown.org/users/januari/gifts).



> loosely-inspired by **[tell me the story i already told you, tell me the story you already know](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1590611)** by [M_Leigh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_Leigh/pseuds/M_Leigh) and **[rust.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13532178?view_full_work=true)** by [m_rosenkov](https://archiveofourown.org/users/m_rosenkov/pseuds/m_rosenkov). those two are absolutely beautiful. go check them out!
> 
> aaaaand, this is for you. again, are. because i absolutely want to impress you. _again_.
> 
> .
> 
> apologize for any mistakes found here. i promise i'll go back and check all of them again, but for now, let me just. dump this. enjoy!
> 
> .
> 
> **Disclaimer:**
> 
>   * **One Piece** is created by  _Oda Eiichiro_ , serialized in  _Weekly Shounen Jump_ , published by  _Shueisha_ , and animated by _Toei Animation._
>   * The writer does not intend to gain any profit from this work.
> 


**ferrum**

{ _a fig. of hard-heartedness, unfeelingness, cruelty; as an image of firmness, endurance._ }

**1.**

Really, it's not a big deal.

Seeing destructions and burnt-down-to-the-ground buildings is a common thing here. Eustass Kid grows up on the street. He moves from an abandoned building to another one in the span of only a few months each time. He has seen plenty of that stuffs.

Still, when the place where he comes from is reduced to rubble and scrap metals, the closest place he could call a  _hometown_  for his entire thirteen years of life, Kid is  _lost_.

The war with neighboring countries has reached its climax. It's now raining bombs and ammos all the time. The period between each attack that used to be there is long gone. Exposed to loud explosions constantly like this, Kid thinks, when he has a few seconds to spare, when he is not running for his life, he is  _this_ close to deafness.

The world does not care. Help never arrives.

When do they ever do anyway?

It's not like the last time. This time, everything is thoroughly  _destroyed_ , to the point of  _nothing is recognizable anymore._

In the morning, when Kid wakes up from briefly closing his eyes, he finds his fellow friends, those kids he befriends on the street, dead. Metals passing through their chests. Metals squashing them to death. Dead.

_Dead._

To think that just a few hours before, they were playing with some junks and scrap metals to build a small ship. Anything that could get them out of this doomed country.

From afar, Kid can hear the screams of slain men and women alike, the cries of children and babies. Then—

_Silence._

Right at that moment, Kid realizes that,  _oh_.

_Everyone's dead already._

Hidden by rubble, Kid stares at soldiers ravaging his hometown.

They don't look like humans. With wide grins and triumphant smiles like that, with blood splattered on their faces and uniforms, they're not different from the beasts and savages he heard in his childhood tales. Tales told far back when everything was still standing proudly instead of torn into sad,  _broken_  pieces.

In that moment, Kid realizes that to survive, he has to become like one of those beasts. Those  _savages_. He  _needs_  to be like their kind.

It's not like anybody cares.

So, Kid waits. He waits until the bombing stops and it really is his time to leave. Then, he sets out to the sea and becomes one of the beasts, becomes a  _pirate_. Because, what else is left to do for him? That's the only way to  _live_  right now.

Though, for a brief moment of melancholia, Kid wishes he could control all the scrap metals there and rip apart the destroyers of his hometown with them.

 

**2.**

A year after that, Kid finds a devil fruit that allows him to control metals.

He wishes he got them a year earlier, but what's happened has happened. He can't change the past, nor he wants to wallow in it. And there's that.

 

**3.**

Later, Kid will learn that what happened in the South Blue also happened in the North Blue. And in the West Blue. And even in the tamest of the sea, the East Blue. 

They happen everyday. It's a fact, just like how humans need to breath constantly is a fact as well.

 

**4.**

Kid hears about the One Piece, about the final island, about Raftel and the treasures Gold Roger hid.

People laugh. No,  _it's civilians who do_. Pirates grin and raise their weapons and fists to the air, vowing determinedly to get their hands on those treasures.

Kid thinks those fools will quit halfway through the journey. But not him, of course.

The treasure the dead pirate king declared in front of the whole world. The treasure that started this whole new era. OnceKid gets his hands on it, he will be the new Pirate King.  _A boy from a town with more motionless metals than living, breathing people_ —

This is his dream now.

 

**5.**

Kid meets Killer in a recently abandoned port in the South Blue.

He takes off his goggles, letting it circle around his neck. Kid walks closer to the boy with the too-long bangs covering his eyes. The boy does not flinch, but Kid knows that those knives between his fingers are not for show only.

Kid looks at his newly-acquired boat. It will suffice until they find a larger one, be it by buying it or simply taking it as their possession. Kid thinks, it's time to have a trustworthy firstmate.

"Join my crew," he says. Kid can feel that from behind those blond bangs, the boy is staring at him intensely.

Then, after a beat, Kid hears a steady  _'Okay'_  from the boy. The corner of Kid's lips twitches. 

At that moment, the Kid Pirates is born.

 

**6.**

It's probably their tenth kill since the crew was formed. Really, what else can they do? It's either kill or be killed. That's how the world works.

Kid meets Heat, and then Wire, not long after that. The two-people boat has now gotten two additional living humans in it. At first, Kid decides that the second one of his crewmates looks like they will betray him, he will impale their chest with metal poles.

He doesn't need to. His crewmates never betray him. And later, he will learn,  _until whenever._

Kid smirks. He stands and gestures towards the island they are nearing to. A ship is being constructed in the island's port. With some modifications here and there, the ship will suit their journey to find the One Piece.

"Let's go get the Kid Pirates' ship."

 

**7.**

Kid's bounty rises along with the number of heads he has taken. And then, it's Killer's bounty, and the rest of his crewmates follow.

Kid keeps his crewmates in a low number of people. Bonds are easier to forge when the party is not overly crowded. That way, Kid can also monitor them better, one by one.

That way, he can protect them better—

 _Ha._  

_What?_

As far as Kid is concerned, if his people start to  _weaken_ , it's time for them to be kicked out of the crew.

Really.

 

**8.**

When Kid is twenty, he learns about Jewelry Bonney from the newspaper. Apparently, that girl comes from the South Blue as well.

For a brief second, Kid asks in his mind only,  _Where in the South Blue does she come from?_   _Does she ever know about his ho—_

Kid laughs. Loudly, madly. Killer turns his head towards him and voices his disapproval. "It's in the middle of the night, Kid," Killer hisses lowly. "Everybody is resting," he adds.

Kid stops laughing. Then, he grins widely.

"A fellow South Blue pirate, Killer," Kid says. "We have a competitor coming from our home."

Kid knows that from behind his mask, Killer is raising his eyebrows at that.

_Home._

Kid stares at his firstmate.  _Where else is our home?_  Kid's red eyes try to communicate silently.

Killer says nothing. Kid shrugs and gets his eyes back to the newspaper he has on his hands.

Another competitor. And quite a big shot one as well.  _Good_. That means he is not alone.

Not alo—

_Tsk._

 

**9.**

They will reach Sabaody Archipelago tomorrow. But before that, Kid snaps the neck of an imbecile who just mocked their dream to find the One Piece with his bare hands.

 

**10.**

First impression matters. To Eustass Kid, at least. He picks his crews based on how good of an impression they make the first time he meets them.

Therefore, Trafalgar Law leaves quite an imprint in his mind. Oh, Kid is absolutely  _furious_  with the way that pirate flips him off in the auction house. However, he is also intrigued. 

Trafalgar Law has such a hard and steely gaze. Kid even thinks that for a few seconds, those golden eyes burn brightly—like the core of a star in its prime—in a carefully suppressed rage at the stage where the auction is taking place at.

Those are not the eyes of someone who only sees rainbows and sugar-coated shits up until they became a pirate.

And also, that man withstands the force of the Dark King's  _haki._

More things to consider Trafalgar Law as someone worth noting, aside from the fact that he is a fellow Supernova, one coming from the Worst Generation, the same generation Kid belongs to now.

 

**11.**

The auction house is as bad as Kid imagines. It's just another place to show how utterly fucked up the world is. 

Although years have passed since he left the broken pieces of buildings he used to call his hometown, nothing has changed. 

Nothing will ever do.

The disgust still lingers even though he has just hurt many marines, those who arrogantly call themselves as the servers of justice. Not even the short exciting fight together with Trafalgar and Mugiwara can erase it.

The world's order is thoroughly wrong. Whereas many pirates can see that as clear as a summer island's blue sky, the marines are still so blind to that fact.

What a bunch of crap.

 

**12.**

Fighting Kuma with Trafalgar turns out to be a pretty good exercise. Those marines surrounding the auction house before are nothing compared to this  _thing._

All the different kind of metals Kid can feel inside of the Shichibukai, the thrumming that calls for his power—

What kind of a sick experiment do marines try to do now?

Kid sets the thought aside. There's a more pressing matter in front of him. He needs to take down the Shichibukai first. And along with that, taking into account the extent of Trafalgar's power. He's still a threat to his dream, after all.

Even though he can totally do this alone.

"I thought I told you not to give me orders," Trafalgar drawls.

Kid grits his teeth. He will deal with this foul-mouthed Supernova later.

 

**13.**

They meet again in a bar on an island that's neither too near nor too far to Sabaody.

"That was not the real Bartholomew Kuma," Trafalgar starts. "Not yet, I guess."

Kid frowns. He tightens his hold around his beer glass. "What do you mean by  _'not yet'_ , Trafalgar?"

"They're making a new weapon," Trafalgar answers shortly. Kid waits for another continuation.

It never comes.

"Like a cyborg? Transforming that Shichibukai into a cyborg?" Kid asks again. Trafalgar shrugs and keeps his silence.

Trafalgar is witholding informations. He knows more than what he talks about. Trafalgar is clever. Kid knows that. Foul-mouthed and ill-mannered, but clever. 

Like Kid himself, in a way.

Kid drinks his glass of beer again. Some of his crewmates are drinking and resting inside the bar. The rest of them are still on the ship. They will take turns with those inside the bar in two hours.

Kid takes a good look at the Supernova sitting next to him. He never really had a time to do that back in Sabaody Archipelago. Too many battles to fight. Too busy getting his ass and his crewmates' asses out of that island.

Trafalgar is lean and tall. Tan skin, short black hair peeking beneath his white spotted hat. The hat is quite ridiculous, but Kid always kills those who mock his goggles, so he doesn't comment on that. People's choice in clothing is not his concern.

Do not judge a book by the cover, or whatever the saying goes. This close, Kid doesn't think Trafalgar is intimidating. Those eyebags and Trafalgar's weird smirks may scare lesser people, but not Eustass Kid. Trafalgar also has a weird power.

Those with weird powers are usually one of the strongest. Like Kid's power. Even Mugiwara's rubber body. It's how they utilize the powers that makes a difference.

Trafalgar is still dangerous to Kid's standard. Moreover, with the man's goal in finding the One Piece as well.

So many tattoos. DEATH written on fingers. Tattoos on the back of Trafalgar's hands, on Trafalgar's arms.

Golden eyes. Bright like the star itself. 

_Supernova._

"Don't go staring at me like that, Eustass-ya," Trafalgar says. A sly smirk rests on his face. "I might think that you're interested in me."

Kid lets out a short bark of laughter. He's apparently drunker than he thinks before.

Kid smirks back at Trafalgar. 

"And what if I am?"

He is not. Not really. Not by much. But his mind is not as sane as usual, not that he's entirely sane to begin with. And it feels like residual adrenalines still linger inside his bloodstream. Kid thinks, he needs to let off some steam. 

It has been a while, anyway.

Trafalgar flicks his gaze around the bar. Then, he lifts the corner of his lips. 

"Let's get out of here, Eustass-ya," Trafalgar says. He pays for his share of drink and stands. Trafalgar walks towards the door, his  _nodachi_  resting comfortably on his shoulder.

"I'll be back in a few hours," Kid tells his crewmates. Then, he follows Trafalgar outside.

They end up in a bed in an island they don't bother to remember its name. Truly, it's to be expected.

 

**14.**

Trafalgar leaves a few minutes after midnight. Kid returns back to his crew shortly after. They will set sail in a few hours to the New World.

He can't sleep again. There's a constant nagging at the back of his mind. Trafalgar knows many things. Perhaps, even a bit too much. It's like he actively searches for those knowledges. A smart thing to do as a pirate, to keep being updated about what the world is into at the moment. Kid does that too, but he doesn't have knowledges as extensive as what Trafalgar has.

Kid has to admit, Trafalgar is hot. He is good in bed. And Kid can still feel that the man is hiding something.

Well, everybody does. Including him.

Around five in the morning, a newspaper comes to Kid's ship.

_Portgas D. Ace's Execution in Two Days._

Kid changes the course of his ship. Instead of going to the New World, he sets sail for the Marineford.  _Those marines...._  This is like declaring a war against one of the Emperors. Shirohige may be old, but he still is an Emperor.

The world's going to be shaken, Kid is sure of it.

He wonders if Trafalgar left first because he knows about this, too.

 

**15.**

As Kid thought before, Trafalgar does have a plan of his own. There's got to be more to saving Mugiwara in the middle of a war that will forever change the history.

_The world._

Kid grins widely and declares, "It begins now! A 'New Age' like nothing anyone has ever seen before!"

 

**16.**

Kid briefly discusses about Mugiwara's recent stunt with Killer.

These are what he can conclude from the discussion:

  1. Mugiwara really knows how to get on people's nerves.
  2. Trafalgar did pull him back from the brink of death. That means Mugiwara owes Trafalgar his life.



Trafalgar Law.

What a truly cunning person.

 

**17.**

Let them go back to Paradise?  _Psssh_. What a joke. Those who are not strong enough should never have set sail in the first place.

In this world, it's either kill or be killed anyway. And he would rather be the hunter than the prey. It's the only way to survive that he knows.

_That, he knows._

 

**18.**

A month later, Kid meets Trafalgar when the Surgeon of Death is pulling out the heart of an unfortunate pirate.

Trafalgar tilts his head to the side, and then smirks at Kid.

Kid does not plan on meeting Trafalgar in this place, and he certainly does not plan on being shoved to the wall in the nearby alley. Kid's lips meet Trafalgar's ones, trying to crush each other's mouth in the process.

As soon as Trafalgar breaks the kiss, Kid pushes Trafalgar's back to the wall behind that man. He bites Trafalgar's bottom lip and slips his tongue inside Trafalgar's mouth.

Kid doesn't think they will make it to the nearest motel.

Whatever. The alley's not that dirty anyway.

 

**19.**

Somehow, Kid always runs into Trafalgar. Or Trafalgar runs into him, really. And most of the time, Kid sees Trafalgar pulling out the heart of the pirate at his mercy. 

"What are you gonna do with them, Trafalgar?" he asks.

Trafalgar just smirks.

"It's none of your business, Eustass-ya."

 

**20.**

More than half of the time Kid spends meeting Trafalgar goes to the act of fucking each other.

Killer thinks it probably is unwise.

Kid thinks otherwise.

 

**21.**

They go at it god knows how many times this night alone. They bite, they lick, they  _fuck_. They hurt each other in the process. Shallow cuts from nails digging too harshly, nails scratching too passionately. There are bruises from squeezing too hard and knocking into each other's arms and legs on the wrong place.

They kiss, at some point, lips smacking lips hungrily.

They don't think about those kisses. They don't spend time remembering how warm the inside of each other's mouth is. There are only insticts: this feels good, feels good,  _feels good_ , and the kiss continues and deepens once more.

 

**22.**

Kid wakes up when Trafalgar has just finished buttoning his jeans. Trafalgar's back is facing him. Kid can clearly see the neat design of Trafalgar's tattoo on his back, the jolly roger of the Heart Pirates.

 _Heart_.

"Trafalgar, what's your plan with those hearts you so happily collect? Don't tell me you use them for some weird rituals of yours and eat them."

At that, Trafalgar laughs. He is laughing.  _Laughing_. Not just chuckling or smirking like he usually does. Kid blinks several times.

When Trafalgar turns his body towards Kid, the laughter has died down. But Kid can still see the traces of amusement in the corner of Trafalgar's eyes.

Gold, the color is gold. Like that of the sta—

"What makes you think like that, Eustass-ya?" Trafalgar asks. The corners of his lips create his usual smirk.

Kid just shrugs.

Trafalgar rolls his eyes. He wears his hoodie first, and then says, "I'm not a savage."

"No, I don't think you are," Kid agrees. "Rather than savage, you fit  _'cruel'_  more," he adds.

Trafalgar smiles. 

It doesn't reach his eyes. It doesn't light them.

They're just void of any emotion.

When Kid blinks, Trafalgar has just put back his hat. Trafalgar reaches for Kikoku and leans the  _nodachi_  on his shoulder. He then tugs down the brim of his hat with his free hand.

Before Trafalgar leaves, he asks, voice quiet and reserved,

"Am I?"

 

**23.**

Kid meets Trafalgar again when he walks out of a shop selling spare parts needed for his ship's maintenance.

"What a coincidence," Trafalgar greets.

Kid replies, "Trafalgar."

He looks at the shop next to him. It's a bookstore. Trafalgar is holding a heavy-looking paper bag with him. Seems like he just recently shops there. 

Trafalgar notices his line of sight.

"I've got to update my medical knowledges," he says. Kid nods.

"Just restocking what my ship needs," Kid says. This time, it's Trafalgar's turn to nod.

They don't usually share like this. It disorients Kid, but he keeps it to himself.

"All those stuffs, do you always maintain your ship on your own?" Trafalgar asks as he walks, leaving the bookstore behind. Kid finds himself following Trafalgar. He has finished his business in the store after all.

"I have my own shipwright, but I like to tinker with things. Make some modifications, stuffs like that," Kid answers. He is now walking right next to Trafalgar.

"And that's because they're mostly made of metals?"

Kid shakes his head. "Yes, and no. Yes, you're right, but also no, because I like to take things apart and build them again into something new, metals or not."

Trafalgar hums. They're still walking side by side.

Kid finds that he likes the sounds Trafalgar make.

"Where are your crewmates?" Trafalgar asks.

"On board, mostly. The rest of them are restocking," Kid answers. Trafalgar hums again.

Kid asks back, "And yours?"

"More or less the same as yours," Trafalgar replies.

They separate when Trafalgar enters a small dining to meet some of his crewmates. Kid keeps walking until he is back on his ship. There, he immediately goes to his workshop and starts unloading everything that he brings back from the store.

As Kid places his new screwdrivers, he realizes that it's the first time his meeting with Trafalgar doesn't end up with them fucking each other.

 

**24.**

The Heart Pirates' ship is such a beauty.

"Her name is Polar Tang," Trafalgar says fondly. He gazes proudly at the submarine that just surfaced about fifteen minutes ago. 

"You keep her well-maintained," Kid says, a quiet awe slipping through his lips. Trafalgar smirks at that.

"Of course. She's our home."

Kid blinks.

Home? His home is a no-longer existing town somewhere in the South Blue, cluttered with decaying bodies and rusty metals—

"Wanna take a look around?" Trafalgar asks, a hint of amusement hiding behind his voice. He already opens the door to the inside of the Polar Tang.

Kid blinks again, and then grins.

"With pleasure."

They end up discussing about the best ways to keep the Polar Tang happy and healthy. It's mostly Kid sharing his knowledges and Trafalgar adding what he knows from his long years with his ship.

"How long have you been with this ship again?" Kid asks, a wrench in one hand and an interested grin on his face.

Trafalgar smiles. He stares at the wall in front of him. A faraway look fleets across his golden eyes.

"Long enough," he says.

All in all, today's a pretty fun occasion. Kid finds that he looks forward to talk passionately to Trafalgar again like this.

 

**25.**

When Kid visits the Polar Tang again, they end up on the bed in the captain's quarter. But before that:

Trafalgar, lying beneath him, with an almost tender look on his golden eyes and the ghost of a smile present on his face, takes off his goggles carefully. Trafalgar runs his fingers through Kid's vibrant red hair and combs it slowly.

That night, they don't fuck as hard as they use to do, but that's okay, too.

 

**26.**

Kid stops in his track, and then laughs loudly right in front of the door of a curry house he currently is standing next to.

Inside, Trafalgar stops eating his curry udon and flips Kid off through the transparent glass of the curry house. Several people looks warily at Kid, but they don't matter to him.

"What the hell was that?" Trafalgar asks, not long after he finished eating. 

Kid tries to hold back his laughter from bubbling up again. He inhales deeply and grins widely. 

"There's this girl that Killer and I used to like. She ate curry udon and her skin turned brown. We laughed at her because of that, but then she beated us up. That was a total chaos. We hate curry udon since then."

Trafalgar raises an eyebrow. "Well, you deserved that. Such a jerk."

Kid just laughs. "I know," he says. "We were so  _weak_  at that time."

Trafalgar goes silent for a moment. Then, he makes one of his  _Room_  and suddenly, a bowl of curry udon is right in front of Kid's face.

_"The hell—"_

Trafalgar, that fucker, smirks and pushes the bowl even closer to Kid's face. Just as Kid is about to swat it aside, Trafalgar's navigator rescues it and eats all of the curry udon.

Kid doesn't take this offense lightly. He immediately uses his power to fight Trafalgar, who seems like all too-willing to fight back.

They battle for two hours, leaving quite a destruction behind. It feels more like a spar, actually. A good kind of spar.

It's been so long since Kid finds a nice opponent to battle with, aside from his own crewmates.

 

**27.**

Trafalgar, surprisingly, turns out to be such a nerd.

"Seriously? You collect commemorative coins?" Kid asks once more. Trafalgar looks absolutely annoyed at that.

"Stop shitting on my hobby, Eustass-ya," Trafalgar hisses.

"I'm not! It's just, well, I never expect that," Kid says and shrugs. He takes a closer look at all the neatly-displayed commemorative coins on Trafalgar's shelf. From the look of them, Kid knows that Trafalgar takes an extremely good care of his possessions.

Trafalgar sighs. But he doesn't stop cleaning his Kikoku on the floor. 

"It also keeps me updated on things that happened all over the world. In a quite fun way," Trafalgar says. Kid just nods twice.

"From all over the sea?" he asks after finding several coins from both the West Blue and the East Blue.

"Yes."

And from the South Blue as well, apparently. 

One of the coin—it is probably a coin produced at a time when one of the biggest summer festival in his hometown was held. Kid can still vaguely remember stealing a piece of a Blue-Finned Elephant Tuna's meat from the festival. 

Years before the downfall of his hometown.

"You can take one, if you want," Trafalgar breaks the silence. Kid glances behind, and then looks back at the collection of commemorative coins in front of him.

Then, Trafalgar adds with a neutral voice, "I won't mind."

Kid takes the one from the happier time of his past.

 

**28.**

Heat insists on trying out this one diner. From Heat's excited explanation, Kid concludes that the place is probably the best in this area.

Just when he finishes his meal, Trafalgar and a couple of his crewmates—Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo, Kid remembers—walks inside. Kid raises his eyebrow.

How many times have they met each other in these past months only? Kid starts to wonder whether Trafalgar is stalking him or not.

Probably not. What for, anyway? Probably his luck is that shitty.

Naturally, Trafalgar goes to the empty seat in front of Kid. With that infuriating smirk of his, of course.

"Well, look who's here," Trafalgar begins.

Kid rolls his eyes. "Just tell me you're stalking my crew."

Trafalgar props his chin on his palm. "Oh, I think it's the opposite, actually," he says.

Kid huffs. Then, he leans forward and captures Trafalgar's lips for a few seconds, ignoring the looks his crewmates—and Trafalgar's crewmates as well, really—give to him.

Kid stands after that. He says, "Got a place to be in a few minutes. Bye, Trafalgar."

Kid walks to the meeting point he and one of the broker from the underworld have agreed on. Killer is walking right next to him.

"That much?" Killer asks.

Kid is silent for a while, before saying flatly, "That much."

 _Miss him._  They both know.

 

**29.**

In the middle of the night, Kid is woken up by the shivering man next to him. 

Trafalgar's broken voice fills the room with this:

_"—ance."_

 

**30.**

But really, nightmares do not discriminate. 

Kid undergoes the fall of his hometown again in his dream. However, this time, instead of the bodies of his once-upon-a-time friends whose names he has started to forget, they're the bodies of his crewmates. 

Kid wakes up suddenly and gets down from Trafalgar's bed as quick as possible. 

Trafalgar is woken up by that. "Eustass-ya?" he calls. 

Kid quickly dresses himself. Then, because he's still a bit disoriented by the clear and vivid image of his crewmates' bloodied bodies, he stumbles against Trafalgar's bookshelf. A few papers fall down from the impact.

Kid blinks, and refocuses his eyes:

_Donquixote Doflamingo Helps the Citizen of Dressrosa Gain Their Country Back from Their Corrupt King._

_Donquixote Doflamingo Crowned as the New King of Dressrosa._

_Donquixote Doflamingo Becomes One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea._

_Donquixote Doflamingo—_

The papers are crushed by Trafalgar's hand as soon as possible. Kid doesn't even realize that Trafalgar has already gathered them a few seconds before. Kid wants to open his mouth, but Trafalgar stops him before he can even talk. 

"You're going back to your ship?"

Kid blinks.  _Wrong move._  The image floods his mind again. Kid balls his fist.

"Yes. Until then, Trafalgar," he says as he gets out of Trafalgar's room.

When Kid is finally on board of his ship again, surrounded by his peacefully-sleeping crewmates, what he just saw in Trafalgar's quarter comes back to him.

_Donquixote Doflamingo? Doflamingo? The Warlord?_

What does Trafalgar have to do with the king of Dressrosa, to the point of collecting so many papers about that person?

 

**31.**

They never talk about that night, about what Kid saw in Trafalgar's place. Or about the specific coin Kid took from Trafalgar's collection.

They don't talk about Mugiwara or the stunt Trafalgar pulled in the Marineford either.

Now that Kid thinks about it, he hasn't really  _talked_ much with Trafalgar. Even though they have spent quite some time together.

Kid doesn't really know who Trafalgar Law truly is, does he?

 

**32.**

In order to survive in the New World, there are two things most pirates can do:

  1. Ally with one of the Emperors, or
  2. Fight those Emperors.



Kid chooses option number two. In order to do that, he needs to know what really happens in the underworld, the place where most of those Emperors' deals take place at.

That's why Kid and Killer are now part of the brokers in the underworld.

 

**33.**

Kid sees Trafalgar again when the Heart Pirates' captain is pulling out the heart of a pirate he just beated. There's blood splattered on Trafalgar's cheek and sword. The opponent looks tougher than the usual ones.

Trafalgar squeezes the heart in his hand. The pirate kneeling in front of him screams. At that, Trafalgar smiles.

It sends shivers down Kid's spine. It's more chilling than Trafalgar's usual smiles, or smirks. It's more— _deranged._

"Trafalgar," Kid calls.

Trafalgar turns his head towards Kid. His expression changes. It's blank now. 

"Eustass-ya."

When they fuck that night, Trafalgar feels colder than usual. His body is still warm everytime Kid traces the tattoos on his chest, but Kid feels so, so  _cold._  Like he's touching a steel pole in a winter island.

Before Trafalgar walks out of Kid's room, his golden eyes catch the coin resting on top of Kid's table, the coin Kid chose a few months earlier from his collection. He opens his mouth, and quickly closes it.

Then, Trafalgar leaves. Just like that.

On the next day, a newspaper comes:

_Trafalgar Law Has Been Made One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea._

 

**34.**

It feels like a betrayal, actually.

Well, in order to survive in the New World, it's either serving the Emperors or fighting them.

Of course, there's another option, like becoming the Government's dog. But Kid never thinks Trafalgar will sink so low.

He is clearly mistaken.

 

**35.**

Donquixote Doflamingo is the Joker, one of the most feared broker in the underworld.

Joker.

 _The_ Joker.

It's unlikely to be just a coincidence.  _Those papers_ , Trafalgar has got to know more than he ever lets on. Perhaps, the Surgeon of Death has more cards up his sleeve.

But until it's proven, Kid will still think that Trafalgar Law is only a Government's dog now.

 

**36.**

What the fuck is Mugiwara doing there?

Trafalgar, just like what Kid suspects, does have a plan of his own. Kid thinks, puts the pieces together, and knows where all these chaos probably lead to.

After all, everybody in the underworld knows who truly  _"_ owns _"_  Punk Hazard, and it certainly is not the Government.

However, again,  _what the fuck is Mugiwara doing there with Trafalgar?_

 

**37.**

What Kid theorizes is proven true. Taking down Doflamingo will lead to Kaidou's downfall. It means that Trafalgar is also targeting an Emperor. 

But—should he really ally himself with that madman? That Mugiwara?

Kid knows that Mugiwara is strong. That probably is the reason why Trafalgar allies himself with that rubber man. Aside from collecting Mugiwara's debt, perhaps.

Whatever.

Kid has his own share of Emperor to be taken down. He has his own alliances to be maintained as well.

 

**38.**

Fuck. This is not supposed to go like this. Fuck.  _Fuck._ Fuckfuckfuck—

"Killer!" Kid shouts. Kaidou almost gets him. He can't afford another injury. Not now, not when all of his crewmates are still here.

"What?!" Killer shouts back. Kid grits his teeth. He will totally regret this, but he will regret it even more if he lets his crew to be slaughtered before they reach their dreams.

Scratchmen Apoo.  _That fucker._

"Get everyone out of here!"

_"Captain—"_

Kid knows that Killer seldomly calls him that. The situation is  _that_  dire. He can imagine the disagreement behind Killer's mask, but it's not the time for hesitation.

"I'll hold him here! Just GO!"

Kid knows that right at that moment, Killer will follow his order. His crewmates will all retreat to a safe distance, far enough that Kaidou can no longer reach them. Until then, he needs to stall this beast. 

"I ask you once more, Eustass 'Captain' Kid. Will you serve under me or will you perish?"

Kid grins, ignoring the taste of iron from the blood dripping down his mouth. "I'd rather take you down, even though I truly prefer to take Akagami no Shanks down first."

Kaidou roars, "You won't even be alive to see Akagami no Shanks, let alone taking him down!"

Kid knows that, actually. His chance of beating Kaidou with his alliances is already low. His chance of beating Kaidou  _alone_?

It's lower than zero.

Still, he's got to do what captains must do.

Survive until all of his crewmates run away, then.

 

**39.**

This place—the cell's wall, the floor, the bars, they must be made of seastones. Kid feels so drained here. As if his depleted energy due to his fight with Kaidou before is not enough.

How many broken ribs and bones—ah.  _Many._

Kid can feel dried blood on his skin, the rust creeping along his metal arm. They feel uncomfortable, but the pounding inside his head is even more so.

Then, there is the darkness. But he figures, it's because his eyes are still closed. And Kid can't bring himself to open them.  Too heavy, too dizzy. Too tired.

They don't even need to chain him with seastones. He already feels terribly sick, just sitting in this place.

"—Tell those idiots from your generation—"

Uh— _what?_

Kid can't catch what Kaidou is spewing. Probably more bullshits. He is too busy trying to stay awake. It's better than being unconscious again, right?

Trafalgar would probably say that.

Trafalgar—Kaidou must be after them now. After all the stunts they pulled in Dressrosa. Well, Trafalgar has allies of his own. Mugiwara probably won't betray him like that  _fucker_.

Tch. Everything hurts.

Fuck it all. Kid prefers to be craddled by the darkness again.

 

**40.**

How many days have passed since his imprisonment?

At this point, all of his crewmates should be safe already. He trusts Killer. His firstmate will do everything it takes to carry out his order. And now—how to get out of here?

He doesn't really want to rot here. He still has his dream.

But.

_How to get out?_

 

**41.**

Kid is hungry. And thirsty. And he starts to dream about South Blue again.

The coin resting inside his pocket—how it survives the brutal beatings he took from Kaidou still baffles him—feels heavier day by day.

 

**42.**

And he starts to see Trafalgar laughing at his dreams as well, golden eyes crinkling with happiness. Perhaps, it's a memory from a long time ago. Or perhaps, it's just his mind playing tricks on him and Trafalgar never really  _laughed_  when he was with him.

 

**43.**

Twenty three. Kid has stalled his death for ten long years.

Ha! Consider that an incredible feat.

 

**44.**

If he could choose, he would rather die inside his ship. Killer is right. Like always.

His ship is his home. Along with all of his dumbass yet loyal crewmates. But he can't have everything, can he?

Well.

 

**45.**

He starts alone. Guess he will end it alone, too.

 

**46.**

Whatever.

 

**47.**

Kid is awake. There's been quite a ruckus outside. Or upstairs? He doesn't care. He has lost all his sense of directions here.

The sound keeps growing louder. He  _hates_  it. So noisy. Just let him sleep in silence, will they?

"—Eustass-ya."

Good. His mind is slipping back into his constant dream-state. It's Trafalgar this time. Better than South Blue.

"Eustass-ya!"

The sound grows even more insistent. Kid wants to growl, or snarl, or anything, but he can't even lift a finger.

"Help me, Zoro-ya!"

Now, the sound is coming right next to his ear. Then, Kid can feel it: his body is being hauled to—

Outside of his seastone cell, apparently. Because now, Kid can feel the gentle tug of all the metals around him again. It's— _it's been so long._ He can't command them to do anything, though. He doesn't have the energy required for that.

"Don't sleep again. Stay awake!"

Who—

_"Eustass-ya!"_

Trafalgar.

 

**48.**

After that, Kid's mind shuts down again. And that's okay. Because this time, he knows that he won't wake up in the same cell anymore.

 

**49.**

"That's the metal guy from Sabaody, right?" Luffy asks. He is leaning on the wall next to the room's door.   
  
Law nods. His eyes are still on the unconcious form in front of him. "We found him in a cell in the Shogun palace. Half dead."  
  
Luffy goes silent. He folds his hands.   
  
Law is sitting on the chair next to the operation table. He places his hands on top of his knees. Kikoku rests on the wall behind him.  
  
"He'll wake up, Torao," Luffy says, breaking the silence that fell over the room. Law doesn't respond.  
  
Luffy walks closer to Law. He touches Law's shoulder and squeezes it once. "Eat, Torao. You've been here for hours already."  
  
Law looks up. His golden eyes meet Luffy's serious gaze. Law is once again reminded of how frighteningly perceptive his ally can be.  
  
"Kid would be fine."  
  
Law exhales.

"Okay," he says.

 

**50.**

Kid wakes up armless. He guesses Trafalgar had removed it shortly after they rescue him. The rust must be pretty concerning.

"Good that you are awake, Eustass-ya," Trafalgar says. Kid looks to his side. Trafalgar is sitting next to the bed he is lying on.

"Trafalgar," Kid rasps. Trafalgar gets him a glass of water which he accepts gladly. 

Kid tries to sit, helped by Trafalgar. He drinks until the glass is empty. Then, he gives the glass back to Trafalgar.

"I've done what I could. The rest of the recovery depends on yourself. And you better make it quick, because we're not yet out of danger," Trafalgar says. 

He then asks, "Have you got another arm in your possession?"

Kid nods. "Yeah. In my ship. If my crewmates are—"

"They are here," Trafalgar cuts him. "They're all here. I've told them to prepare the arm for you. They must be with it now."

Kid nods once again. "I'll go get it." He gets down from the bed, his remaining palm pressed on the wall to steady himself. Trafalgar looks like he's about to help him, but Kid just shakes his head.

"Like what you said, you've done what you could," Kid starts. "The rest is up to me. Including this."

Trafalgar doesn't protest. He lets Kid walk to the door and leave the room. It's the right thing to do. Because being in that room is suffocating.

Being  _weak_ is suffocating.

 

**51.**

Killer hugs him tightly as soon as he shows up near the small group consisted of all his crewmates. Killer says nothing, but really, his hug already tells Kid everything.

Several of his crewmates take turns hugging him. Kid sighs. He supposes he can let them do at the very least this.

Then, Kid takes the arm he comes for with him. This one is less beastly, less interesting to him, because it looks like a normal metal arm. Although it takes more time to make this than the previous one. And he only makes it because Killer kept insisting on making another one in case the old one can no longer function properly.

It's made of liquor iron ore. Sturdy and rare as fuck. It's one of the main reason why he made it "normal-size". He doesn't have enough of it to make an exact replica of his old metal arm.

Kid comes back to the room he left before. He almost calls for Trafalgar, but he stops himself when he hears the sound of people talking.

"—I don't wanna, Torao!"

Law sighs. "It will only take a few minutes, Mugiwara-ya. The stomach wound you sustained from your fight with Charlotte Katakuri is incredibly deep. I need to take a look at your internal organs. It would be a disaster if your spleen is ruptured. Now, will you just—stay—still—"

"But I'm a rubber—"

"And he hurt you using haki-coated weapons. Your argument is invalid, Mugiwara-ya. So stop making my job even harder than it already is—"

"Tell me about Cora-san!"

Law immediately goes silent. There's a lingering pause in the room before Luffy breaks it. "Or, any stories. That'll be okay, too. I just don't want to have nothing to do. I promise I will listen and stay still. You have to tell me an interesting story, though. Ace did that and it worked."

Law inhales, and then exhales. "Actually," he begins, "you remind me of him. A lot."

Trafalgar smiles. Kid can hear the smile from Trafalgar's words only. And when he takes a look inside, Kid can clearly see the smile Trafalgar makes.

It's a fond smile, albeit merely a small one. 

It frustrates Kid. So much.

 

**52.**

In the end, Kid enters the room after Trafalgar finishes checking Mugiwara's wound. Trafalgar leaves to grab more bandages for the Strawhat Pirates' captain first. That means Kid has to wait for Trafalgar to come back.

With this rubber madman, apparently.

"Oh! Hi, Metal-guy!" Luffy greets.

Damn. Kid is not in the mood to talk to anyone, let alone Mugiwara.

"I see that Torao has fixed you up!" Mugiwara exclaims cheerfully. Immediately, Kid glares at him.

"As he did to you after the Paramount War, Mugiwara," Kid growls.

Instead of being offended, like what a  _normal_ human supposes to be, Mugiwara laughs loudly. Kid grows even more irritated by that.

"Yeah," Mugiwara says, after his laughter dies down, "he saved us both. Torao's that amazing." Then, Mugiwara looks at Kid with a too-wide smile on his face.

"He's my  _nakama_!" he declares. 

Too bright. It's like looking at the sun itself. It hurts.

"You were totally insane back then," Kid says.

Mugiwara simply shrugs. "And I don't regret it. I would regret it more if I never came. I'll do the same thing for the people that I love thousand times over. For my family, for my  _nakama._ "

Kid doesn't respond.

"You did the same thing, anyway. For your crewmates," Mugiwara says calmly.

Kid scowls. "You don't know me," he counters.

Mugiwara shakes his head. "No, I don't. But Torao does," he replies.

_False._

Kid is too tired, though. He doesn't want to continue this conversation. Mugiwara doesn't press either. Good.

Not long after that, Trafalgar comes back. He changes Mugiwara's bandages and the Strawhat Pirates' captain jumps happily down the bed, running out of the room as soon as possible. Trafalgar sighs loudly.

He walks towards Kid. He takes the arm from Kid's hand and starts helping Kid wear it. Trafalgar uses his  _Room_  to better connect Kid's nerves to the circuits built inside the metal arm. It takes around twenty minutes, and then it's finished.

Kid flexes his metal arm. It works perfectly. Trafalgar's power does a great deal in helping him. 

"How far is Kaidou from us?" Kid asks.

"Not too far."

"We'll beat him," Kid says. Trafalgar tugs the corner of his lips up.

"Of course. That's what my alliance with Mugiwara-ya is for," Trafalgar says.

Kid rolls his eyes. "Can't let you two have all the fun."

Trafalgar chuckles. He tugs down the brim of his hat.

Kid wonders,  _how can a man change so much in just a few months?_

 

**53.**

In truth, their plan consists of just two things:

  1. _Kick Kaidou's ass_ , as Mugiwara phrases it.
  2. _And get the hell out of here,_ as Trafalgar and everyone else phrase it.



What a cluster _fuck._ No wonder Dressrosa is as destroyed as it is.

"You're crazy, Mugiwara!" Kid shouts just after he uses his Repelat Trafalgar's direction, who in turns  _shambles_  it right through Kaidou's body, impaling him on his stomach.

Mugiwara just grins widely. "Prepares for the endgame!"

Then, there's an intense clash of Conqueror  _Hakis_. Kid has to lift his metal arm in front of his face and balls his fist to withstand the blast. He grits his teeth.

After that, he sees the blur that must be Trafalgar  _shambling_  himself near Kaidou. A briliant emerald lightning bolt appears in Trafalgar's grip and pierces Kaidou's chest.

It's a battlefield, a place where it's either kill or be killed, but Kid can't help thinking how  _beautiful_  that attack is.

Kaidou still hasn't been taken down. In only mere seconds after Trafalgar's Gamma Knife, Mugiwara's  _haki_ -coated fist collides with Kaidou's face. Kid turns his head for a brief second towards the Strawhat Pirates' captain. 

The man looks almost unrecognizable. The form Mugiwara is adopting now looks totally different from his usual appearance. His hair is longer and all of his arms and legs are coated with Armament  _Haki_.

It's not the right place, not even the right time, and still Kid is reminded suddenly that Mugiwara does resemble the most wanted man in this world.

From there, everything goes almost like a blur. Both Mugiwara and Trafalgar hit Kaidou unstoppably, just as quick as the Emperor's retaliations. It's like the two allied-captains have fought side by side for years.

It's so infuriating.

This is a three versus one fight, not  _two_  against one. And Kid is not here as an observer only.

He tugs at the power at the tip of his iron ore fingers. Kid tries to remember the feeling of this, of what he almost reached in his desperation to stall Kaidou to let his crewmates run away, before Kaidou defeated him completely. This, the electromagnetic force he can sense so strongly, can feel it calling him— _this_.

_Awakening._

 

**54.**

Mugiwara drops from the sky and Trafalgar is there to catch him with his power.

"Your Gear Fourth always uses so much  _haki_ , Mugiwara-ya." Trafalgar frowns. One of Mugiwara's arm is slung around his shoulders.

Mugiwara gives Trafalgar a sheepish grin. "You're not as drained as you were back in Dressrosa, Torao," he comments.

Trafalgar huffs. "That's because I saved my power and let you guys handle most of the fightings precisely for this ocassion. To beat Kaidou." He sighs at the end of his sentence.

Then, with a quieter voice, Trafalgar says, "Besides, Kaidou isn't my object of revenge for thirteen long years."

Kid's jaw tigthens. He really knows nothing about Trafalgar.

But he's not here to wallow.

"Give me your arm," Kid says after he arrives next to Mugiwara. The rubberman immediately circles his free arm around Kid's shoulder.

Together with Trafalgar, Kid helps Mugiwara walk until they reach their respective crewmates.

No one says anything during their journey.

 

**55.**

Sometimes Kid wonders, what would happen if he and his crews were the one who stormed through the entirety of Punk Hazard and met Law there.

 

**56.**

"Eustass-ya."

A bottle of  _sake_  is still in his grip, its content swaying quietly with the way Kid swings it lightly. Kid tears his eyes away from the bottle and looks up. 

"Trafalgar," he greets back.

Trafalgar sits next to Kid, to the side where his metal arm is. "I want to take a look at your arm," he says.

Kid shrugs. "Go ahead."

Trafalgar uses his power to check on Kid's arm. From the satisfied look on Trafalgar's face, Kid guesses the result comes back good. No bad news, then. Great.

"From what I can see, it seems that it's functioning properly. Do tell me if you feel anything weird or even hurt," Trafalgar says.

They are sitting quite far from the center of the party, where people dance with loud laughters around the bonfire. Kid stares at Trafalgar's face. His expression is multiple times more relaxed than what Kid saw in Punk Hazard's feed. And Trafalgar's golden eyes shine brighter than the flame coming from the bonfire. 

Kid almost forgets how to breathe.

"Eustass-ya," Trafalgar calls. "I haven't been completely honest with you," he says then.

Kid exhales harshly. "So have I."

Trafalgar quirks the corner of his lips. "Where to start, I wonder?"

"From the part where we share the same thing," Kid says. "Perhaps," he adds later.

Trafalgar widens his smile slightly. "Right. You saw how I looked at the coin you picked." He lifts his hand, looking at the letters tattooed to his fingers, at the tattoo on the back of his hand and his forearm. 

"These," he says, "haven't always been decorated with black inks. They used to be white, so white they looked like snow was fused into my skin."

Kid frowns. "White...," he mumbles, and then his eyes widen.

"The White City," he says, voice laced with apparent surprised.

 _Flevance._ That's what Trafalgar muttered in his sleep a long time ago.

Trafalgar only smiles. "Guess things like that happen all over the sea, huh."

Kid's jaw tightens. Both of them are the lone survivors of their respective hometown. No wonder he always feels that somehow, Trafalgar can understand. 

Trafalgar  _does_  understand.

"Want me to continue?" Trafalgar offers. Kid shakes his head.

"Don't need to. I can pretty much guess the rest from there. Our story wouldn't be that different."

Besides, he already knows where Trafalgar's story would go. He would meet the Donquixote Pirates and that "Cora-san" person. Kid heard everything. And he thinks Trafalgar knows that as well. The man definitely allowed him to listen at that time.

Kid directs his gaze to the  _sake_ bottle in his grip. He raises it. 

"To childhood ruined by the Government," he says. He drinks the  _sake_  and gives the bottle to Trafalgar.

Trafalgar chuckles. "To childhood ruined by the Government," he says before he drinks what's left inside the bottle.

"Anyway, Eustass-ya," Trafalgar says after he disposes the empty bottle of  _sake_ , "about that coin—"

"I'm not returning it, Trafalgar," Kid cuts Trafalgar quickly. The Heart Pirates' captain chuckles again.

"I won't ask you to. Don't worry, Eustass-ya. I'm just as—"

_"Toraooo!"_

Suddenly, Mugiwara is standing in front of them, clearly frowning at Trafalgar. "Dance with me, Torao!" he says.

Trafalgar shakes his head. "How many times have I said  _'no'_ , Mugiwara-ya?"

"But dancing is fun!" Mugiwara insists.

"Still  _no_ , Mugiwara-ya," Trafalgar replies.

Mugiwara is still frowning. Trafalgar finally sighs.

"I still want to talk with Eustass-ya," Trafalgar says. Mugiwara looks at Trafalgar closely, and then at Kid. For a split second, his expression becomes serious, before he is back to his usual grinning idiot mode.

"Okay! Bye, Torao! Bye, Metal-guy!"

After that, just like that, he disappears again into the crowd.

Kid takes a look at Trafalgar. The man denies Mugiwara's invitation to dance together, and yet, a ghost of smile is present on his face.

"So," Kid starts, "what else do you want to talk with me?"

Trafalgar's gaze softens a little. "And where were we...."

 

**57.**

Law is looking up at the night sky, at the countless stars shining down on the Country of Wano. He is one of the least injured people in their "Take Down Kaidou!" party. Nevertheless, Law's shoulders are slumped and tiredness is visible on his face.

Then, Luffy is standing in front him. He places his palm on top of Law's shoulder, squeezing once. Luffy slowly drags his hand lower, settling his grip firmly around the scar circling Law's arm. Finally, he brings his hand to hold Law's hand, passing by the skin of Law's forearm along the way.

Luffy takes both of Law's hands in his hands. He stares calmly at Law, before breaking into a tender smile.

Afterwards, they slowly dance under the starlight. A step forward, another step backward. A smile is gradually blooming on Law's face. 

And, finally, Law laughs. Softly, happily.

His golden eyes are brighter than any stars out there, up in the sky. Brighter than any supernovas. 

Kid is wandering deep into the woods, and sees this, and thinks:  _How beautiful._

If only instead of Mugiwara, it was him.

 

**58.**

"This alliance ends here, Mugiwara-ya," Law says with finality in his voice. In front of him, Luffy sighs, unimpressed.

"I know. This alliance is only until we beat Kaidou," Luffy replies.

Mugiwara's reply surprises Kid. And, judging from the tiny burst of emotion on Trafalgar's face, it surprises that man too.

Law goes silent. Luffy presses his strawhat to settle more comfortably on his head. His expression is unreadable.

It sends an almost unnerving feeling to the inside of Kid's stomach.

"But will you come when I need you? When  _we_  need you?" Luffy asks, voice steady and undemanding. He simply  _asks_.

Law's answer comes immediately, "That's what an alliance is for, Mugiwara-ya. And we're no longer allies the moment we go back to our own ships after this."

Luffy doesn't move. He keeps staring at Law's golden eyes, eyes that time to time get Kid lost into.

"Law," Luffy says.

Kid clenches his fists. He keeps all the metals near him from flinging themselves at the man he wishes so bad to fight, to brawl with, to  _beat_ , but not now. Not when Kid knows with a certainty that he will lose. He will lose  _now_.

Trafalgar sighs. And it's scary. It's scary that Kid already knows what Trafalgar will say. It's scary that Kid feels all kind of sensations of being  _crushed_ , crushed so cruelly from all sides.

"When we need you," Law pauses, "when  _I_ need you, I—"

Kid leaves.

He doesn't need to be there to hear the end of Trafalgar's sentence. He already knows what  _this_ Trafalgarwill say. The Trafalgar who once upon a time Kid knew will never say this, but the voice that Kid's mind comes up with is from the same man anyway:

_I will._

 

**59.**

Who is Kid kidding? Of course all the time Kid wonders, what would happen if he and his crew were the one who stormed through the entirety of Punk Hazard and met Law there.

All the time.

_All the time._

 

**60.**

How many fucking parties will this crazy people hold again? Apparently, their excuse is that the first party is to celebrate their win against one of the four Emperors of the Sea.  _This_  party is to formally re-affirm the samurais and minks alliances with the Strawhat Pirates.

Kid still won't ally with Mugiwara, though. Mugiwara won't fight Shanks now. Kid  _will._  After a few weeks of recovering for his crewmates and himself. After he finds new allies who won't betray him. One betrayal is  _enough._

Back to the party. Held by crazy people. Crazily strong people, Kid has to admit.

At least Trafalgar is with him now, checking his metal arm again.

"The liquor iron ore is a rare one, right? How did you acquire it?" Trafalgar asks, curiosity bleeding through his words.

Kid just grins. "That one is a secret, Trafalgar. After all, you're still my rival and a competitor to reach my dream."

Trafalgar chuckles. "I've got to agree with that."

Kid smiles, and then surrenders to the tugging at the back of his mind. 

"What would happen if I were the one you met in Punk Hazard, Trafalgar?"

Trafalgar doesn't seem surprised at all. It's like he already anticipates this question.  _Ha._  Of course.

The doctor merely smiles back at Kid and says, "But you weren't."

And that's it. That's the answer to the question Kid's been asking to himself these past days. The answer that he already knows, but can't bring to admit before it gets thrown right at his face by Trafalgar Law himself. All the bubbling rage he felt everytime he saw Mugiwara with Trafalgar came from his own denial. From his own inability to accept the truth.

There are no  _what ifs._  There are only two things:  _the past_ and  _the present_. There's no use in thinking about what could've happened. It will only drive one mad.

Kid smiles crookedly. "I was never a part of  _the Marineford_ , where you saved Mugiwara's life, making him owe you his life," he says.

Trafalgar closes his eyes. Then, he quietly says, "And he saved mine. I owe him my life, too. He gave me another chance to meet my family again."

Family. The Heart Pirates.

_Home._

"I was prepared to die, Eustass-ya," Trafalgar continues. "He didn't let me. What a stubborn asshole."

"Yeah, he is," Kid agrees.

And Mugiwara makes Trafalgar happy. In a different way to what Kid tried to do in the past. Kid doesn't say that out loud.

But he finally understands anyway.

 

**61.**

"You did a good job on following my order, Killer."

Killer nods shortly. "And you did a good job on surviving."

Kid laughs. "We South Blue people tend to be great at that."

The flame from the bonfire in front of them is reflected on Killer's mask. The mask has cracks all over it. Kid wonders how it can even still be attached together in front of Killer's face.

"I think it's time for another mask, Killer," he says. Killer turns his head towards him.

"Like how you changed your old metal arm into the new one, Kid?" Killer asks.

Kid is silent first. Then, he breaks into a wide grin. 

"Changes are good, Mate. Change can be good, too."

And change they must. To survive. To  _live._

 

**62.**

Because nothing stays constant in the New World. In  _this world._

 

**63.**

Trafalgar checks Kid's metal arm once again.

This is the last night they all will be here. Tomorrow, everyone will set sail to different destinations, going their separate ways to continue pursuing their own dreams.

Including Kid himself.

Including Trafalgar.

 _Law_.

"Still going for the One Piece?" Kid asks casually.

Law is leaning on the trunk of the nearest tree. Kikoku rests contently next to him. Law's eyes focuses on a point in the center of the farewell party. The blazing bonfire. 

Law smirks. "You and I both know who will have their hands on the One Piece first. And since I'm feeling quite generous, I'll give you one hint:  _It's not going to be one of us._ "

Kid laughs, cackles, almost maniacally. A few heads turn towards him in question and, or, wariness. Law just stares at him, unimpressed.

Kid suddenly remembers that expression on some other man. The expression almost mirrors each other.

His heart aches dully. He pays it no mind.

Kid stops laughing. He exhales harshly. "I know, I know. You're gonna say something like  _'It's not us who've got the copy of three Road Poneglyphs and has the person who can read them in his crew_ ' next, Trafalgar?" Kid says, voice irritated.

Law smirks again. "I don't need to. You just show me how perfectly you understand that, Eustass-ya."

Kid clicks his tongue.

Then, when a blur of a stretching arm lands near the bonfire, Kid knows where Law's golden eyes will go to.

"You know that the moment he finds One Piece, he's the Pirate King, right?" Kid asks. He knows how pale his lips are, without his red lipstick and the state of his still-recovering body.

"And he  _is_ ," Law says. "The future Pirate King," he adds then.

Kid rolls his eyes. "I'm still not giving up on finding One Piece. Don't be too sure about that, Trafalgar," Kid growls.

Instead of continuing that topic, Law changes it all of a sudden. "Emperor," he says.

Kid can't help blurting, "What?"

" _Emperor,_ " Law repeats. "I'm going for that now," he explains further.

Kid knows this is one of the new dream Law will take on. It doesn't mean it does not surprise him hearing it live from Law's own mouth.

"Can't have Mugiwara-ya runs the sea by himself." Law smirks. "He will wreak havocs too quickly. Besides, where's the fun in having the throne for yourself with no impending challengers?"

This time, Kid laughs. It sounds genuine. He is indeed amused beyond possible.

"Right, right, Trafalgar," Kid says after his laughter quiets down.

Silence falls upon them. Law turns his attention back towards his ally-but-not-really. A sliver of smile sits prettily on Law's lips. Kid is so close to them, so close to kissing it.

He makes no move.

Kid sighs. Then, he says, "Thank you."

Law doesn't look at Kid, not yet. Kid expects almost stupidly a  _what for?_ from him.

Law doesn't say anything. He just nods and closes his eyes for a moment.

Finally, Law turns his head and faces Kid. A swirl of emotion swims in Law's golden eyes. Tiny traces of what their past was surface for a brief seconds.

Surprisingly, Kid feels that it's enough. They  _are_  enough. It means that he was not the only one that felt  _things_  back then. That whatever  _that_  was, it was a two men show. 

Law opens his mouth and says, "Thank you, too." His expression softens. "Those times are a part of me, a part that makes me who I am. I had a genuine fun back then," Law admits.

The party dies down some time later. Law lets out a long sigh. His lips curve slightly.

"This is goodbye," he says.

"Next time we meet, we're enemies," Kid concludes. Law's smile turns into his usual smirk, only that it's less demeaning and more looking forward to the excitement of fighting each other in future battles.

"Enemies alright, Eustass-ya."

Kid's Observation  _Haki_  picks up the presence of someone strong approaching. Kid knows who it is. Which means, Law also  _knows_. How can he not? Kid snorts mentally.

Right the next moment, Luffy lands perfectly in front of Law and Kid. "Torao!" he shouts first, and then adds, "oh, hello, Kid!"

Kid stands. It's his time to leave. It's his time to leave Wano, to leave the man who once upon a time walked alongside him.

But before that, Kid smirks and waves once at Law. "Until then,  _Emperor Trafalgar Law_ ," Kid says loudly. Afterwards, he walks away from both Law and Luffy.

Kid imagines what Law's response will be like, but cuts himself quickly from clawing a still raw wound inside his chest. He is trying to come to the terms that, in a way, this Law will never be what he used to be again. He changes, just like how Kid does, too.

And also, from here and now on, despite Kid being one of the stars of their generation, the  _Supernovas_ , Law's golden eyes will always find his star in another person. And that person certainly is not Eustass Kid.

It's not a big deal.

 

**64.**

It actually is, but this isn't South Blue. Kid still has his crewmates, the Kid Pirates. And his dream as well. To find the One Piece.

 _Ha_. Can't let Luffy have everything, can he?

 

**65.**

One last time:

In the early morning, right before Kid's ship leaves, Law finds him and kisses his cheek. Law then smiles and says, "I'll give you a piece of advice as a fellow lone survivor:  _Do not question someone's love._  Take it with you wherever you go, Kid."

 

**coda.**

"So, where to go, Captain?" Heat asks, a day after they left Wano.

"Somewhere safe. You all are so beaten up, it puts me to shame," Kid says. Then, he smirks and slams his metal fist into his free palm.

"But before that, let's find a fellow South Blue resident."

Killer chuckles behind his mask. Kid widens his smirk, barring his teeth in the process.

"Let's go pick Jewelry Bonney up."

Life is a big deal.  _His_  life is a big deal. And Eustass Kid intends to make the most of it, with the people that he trusts, that he cares about, together.

Really, it  _is_  a big deal.

**Author's Note:**

> i actually cried and almost abandoned this work multiple times during the writing process. i felt like it was not good enough, it would never be good enough. i struggled a lot writing this. i feared that i didn't get the characterizations right. this piece haunted my dreams, lol. best thing ever. but my close friend, are, always encouraged me. like, _all the time_. without her, this piece won't ever be published, let alone be finished. (i totally love the final product, though. it's been three years since my last 10k words fic. lol.)
> 
> and so, THANK YOU! for reading this from the start until the end! it was a rollercoaster ride for me myself lololol. let me know about your thoughts in the comments below! kudos and/or comments are really appreciated! but still, thank YOU. AGAIN. for reading this through! this is all for you! :)


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